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Graduate:
Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability. |
Proficient:
Design and implement teaching activities that support the participation and learning of students with disability and address relevant policy and legislative requirements |
Highly Accomplished:
Work with colleagues to access specialist knowledge, and relevant policy and legislation, to develop teaching programs that support the participation and learning of students with disability. |
Lead:
Initiate and lead the review of school policies to support the engagement and full participation of students with disability and ensure compliance with legislative and/or system policies. |
Completing a double degree in a Bachelor of Education/Special Education and a Bachelor of Disability Studies; as well as SSO employment and completing placements in the field of Special Education or disability services, I highly value diversity and model inclusive practices that support full participation of individuals with disability.
Legislative Requirements
I have read and have an awareness of the 'Protective Practices: for staff in their interactions with children and young people' document. In particular, page 9 focuses on working with children and young people with additional needs or disabilities. The information in section 9 provides me with a greater understanding of working and supporting children with disabilities, the main points are summarised below:
I have an understanding of The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 which protects everyone in Australian against discrimination based on disabilities. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 (formulated under the Disability Discrimination Act, 1992) describes the obligations of education and training providers to ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.
To extend my knowledge, I completed the Primary School Staff 'Disability Standards for Education' e-learning course by the University of Canberra: Education Institute. This course reinforced and extended my learning regarding discrimination, participation, student support services and curriculum development, accreditation and delivery.
- Staff need to be more vigilant towards physical interactions with students with disabilities; they may require physical touch as an agreed form of communication or as a means of providing a duty of care.
- Vulnerabilities mean students with disabilities have an increased reliance on adults providing care to protect them from harm.
- Immediate reporting of inappropriate behaviour towards children from other adults is a critical obligation.
- Children with disabilties are supported through various forms of individual plans (health care plans, education plans- IEP, NEP, behaviour, etc).
- Ongoing support is a feature of these plans which involves collaborative support involving all people who deal with the children, including other service providers.
- The possibility of restraint should only be used as an alternative, agreed upon strategy for preventing harm to others and must be addressed in the individual plan.
I have an understanding of The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 which protects everyone in Australian against discrimination based on disabilities. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 (formulated under the Disability Discrimination Act, 1992) describes the obligations of education and training providers to ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.
To extend my knowledge, I completed the Primary School Staff 'Disability Standards for Education' e-learning course by the University of Canberra: Education Institute. This course reinforced and extended my learning regarding discrimination, participation, student support services and curriculum development, accreditation and delivery.
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Teaching Strategies
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This is a photo of me while pre-service teaching in an R-3 special options class. The photo demonstrates me using the strategy of joint construction and modelling. During literacy, my students and I created sentences together, using the images drawn on the whiteboard as visual prompts. I used modelling and questioning to highlight the correct use of full stops and capital letters. The students then had the opportunity to practice this independently. This is a photo of me at Bedford where I completed a practicum working with adults with disabilities. The photo demonstrates myself teaching employees the procedure for hand washing. To teach the specific skill to the employees, I delivered a presentation on hand washing and hygiene which included a PowerPoint with lots of visuals. I then demonstrated the procedure for washing hands, modelling each step and referring to the visual poster provided below. We then went through all the steps as a group before the employees had the chance to practice the skill. This follows a "I Do, We Do, You Do" process. Click image for a larger view
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Through pre-service teaching in an R-3 special options class as well as SSO employment in a special school, I have had experience working with students who have all been verified with Global Developmental Delay or Intellectual Disabilities. I have taught or supported students with various disabilities and/or learning difficulties including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), speech delays/impairments and vision impairments, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, chromosomal disorders, physical impairments, multiple disabilies, sensory disorders as well as students with high health care needs such as epilepsy, gastro-feeds and incontinence.
Some of the strategies which I have used are listed below.
Some of the strategies which I have used are listed below.
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"I am working for...." chart
This was used while pre-service teaching for a student in my class who is on the spectrum and also has ADHD. The student selected what reward he would work for and would need to receive 5 ticks for his reward. This increased the student's engagement and enabled him to participate and focus on the task. Whole Class Tick Chart- Reinforcement Throughout my teaching practice, I have used reward systems such as this tick chart, where students receive positive reinforcement for making strong choices in behaviour or during work time. |
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ICT
I integrate ICT such as SMARTboards, iPads and computers into learning tasks to increase engagement and participation, This offers multiple means of representation, where information is provided to students in various visual and auditory formats, catering for diverse learning styles. Note: the student in the picture is using his 'chew toy' which is another strategy that I have encouraged, primarily in special education classes, for example when students are exhibiting behaviours such as 'fidgeting' or lack of concentration. |
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Social Stories
Particularly throughout my SSO work and pre-service teaching in a special options class, I have used social stories to teach students a particular skill, concept, social behaviour or situation. This is an example of the first page of a student's social story. I have used this social story when supporting this student to use the toilet. |
Assistive Technologies:
Assistive technology is any device, piece of equipment or system that helps a person with a disability work around challenges so they can learn, participate, communicate or simply function better.
I have provided some examples below of assistive technology accommodations which I have used to support students with disabilities throughout my SSO employment.
Computer Access Options
The BIGtrack Trackball mouse and Keyboard Alternatives provide alternative means for students with disabilities to interact with computers. I have supported the student in the photo below to use the Bigtrack Trackball mouse to participate in computer activities and work around his difficulties of limited hand control and hand-eye coordination challenges. The keyboard with larger buttons is an assistive technology device which is supportive of the needs of many of the students I have worked with.
Assistive technology is any device, piece of equipment or system that helps a person with a disability work around challenges so they can learn, participate, communicate or simply function better.
I have provided some examples below of assistive technology accommodations which I have used to support students with disabilities throughout my SSO employment.
Computer Access Options
The BIGtrack Trackball mouse and Keyboard Alternatives provide alternative means for students with disabilities to interact with computers. I have supported the student in the photo below to use the Bigtrack Trackball mouse to participate in computer activities and work around his difficulties of limited hand control and hand-eye coordination challenges. The keyboard with larger buttons is an assistive technology device which is supportive of the needs of many of the students I have worked with.
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Seating Equipment
The first photo shows a student with anxiety issues who is learning the skill of turn taking. He is sitting on a wobble chair, which I have found to be a useful piece of equipment to cater for concentration, attention difficulties and highly anxious students. The second photo shows me engaging a student with a physical disability to participate in sensory activities. He is using a Corner Chair (shown in photo three), which is a type of positioning equipment that allows him to get out of his wheelchair and sit on the floor. The student is unable to change the position of his lower body, so the chair allows him to be well supported while sitting on the floor, which increases his engagement.
The first photo shows a student with anxiety issues who is learning the skill of turn taking. He is sitting on a wobble chair, which I have found to be a useful piece of equipment to cater for concentration, attention difficulties and highly anxious students. The second photo shows me engaging a student with a physical disability to participate in sensory activities. He is using a Corner Chair (shown in photo three), which is a type of positioning equipment that allows him to get out of his wheelchair and sit on the floor. The student is unable to change the position of his lower body, so the chair allows him to be well supported while sitting on the floor, which increases his engagement.
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Switches
Ability switches are designed for people with physical disabilities, offering them an alternative means to interact with computers, speech generating devices, appliance controllers and switch adapted, battery powered toys. Below is a photo of me assisting a student with physical disability to participate in a colouring activity using a switch which operates a battery powered lady bird which holds a texta.
Ability switches are designed for people with physical disabilities, offering them an alternative means to interact with computers, speech generating devices, appliance controllers and switch adapted, battery powered toys. Below is a photo of me assisting a student with physical disability to participate in a colouring activity using a switch which operates a battery powered lady bird which holds a texta.
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Communication
Throughout my teaching practice and SSO work, I have used communication aids to support students to communicate and participate. Some of the communication aids I have used are shown below. The first image shows the 'Proloqu2go' program on an iPad mini. I use this program to support non-verbal students' speech, which provides them with a voice and allows them to participate. The second photo is a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) folder, which has a range of pictures which the student can choose from to convey what they wish to say.
Throughout my teaching practice and SSO work, I have used communication aids to support students to communicate and participate. Some of the communication aids I have used are shown below. The first image shows the 'Proloqu2go' program on an iPad mini. I use this program to support non-verbal students' speech, which provides them with a voice and allows them to participate. The second photo is a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) folder, which has a range of pictures which the student can choose from to convey what they wish to say.
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Supporting Statements from 2015 Final Practicum Report
"Sophie has used her knowledge of the students to design and implement teaching strategies in the classroom which where responsive to the individual needs of students. She developed a range of activities that were appropriately matched with the students' abilities and disabilities." |
"Sophie’s knowledge of appropriate methodologies was already quite broad, reflecting her part time work in a special education setting, but she relished the opportunity to further develop this further as reflected in her ambitious Interim Learning Plan." |
